New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-11-04
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
A SPLENDID WORK.

MANUEL aIsToR9UE Fl B1RAo rar PHI de
Releur. Paris Cruel ct Engelmann.
Tine snlendidly illustrated quartO volume just
oubI,shed by Cruel & Engelmann constitutes by
far the most important work on bookbinding which
has hitherto appeared. Neither the q Reliure An
cienpe ct Mc6erne published by ROuveyre year
or two ago. nor the pretentious volume of N.
Octave Uzannc, entitled lie Relure Moderne.
Artistique et Fanta!sste,' is to be compared with
It either for practical value OF snmptuousncss OF
illustration, though both the works named are
good in their wag. VI. Uzanne has appeared
rather to shun the beaten track and to
seek quaint and non-typical examples while the
earliest work of the three consists almost entirely
of plates the short Introductory essay by Gustave
Rrune cont aiming little luf,rmation and the text
explaining the plates being of the brefest In the
new work we have however a solid enterprise lhe
author NJ. Loon Cruel. is himself among the most
distinguished of modern binders, and he has
worked upon lines which assure accuracy lie
opens with a compact essay on the forms OF BOOKS
Giving the facts as succnctly as possible. Then
follows a historic review of tine art OF DOCK
binding tracing it from the earliest known
examnIes TO the time of the Revolution.
As he poiuts out in his preface. he has introduced
nothing which Is not either already established or
of the truth of which he cannot furnish Immediate
proof This part of the work contains full ntorna-
ton concerning the different styles of binding
which have characterized successive epOchs. The
second part is arranged in the form of dictionary
and in it will be found in alphabetical order, some
account of every binder whose existence eau be
proved, together with ample notices OF the great
book lovers, Grolier. MaiO Mansfield. etc. whose
taste and ma gnlfcence have often both produced
and preserved the finest bindings that have come
down to
One curious ard important statement IS made III
the Manual NJ Cruel has been led bv his
researches to suspect strongly that the hne
bindings ascribed to LIE GascOn have been
wrongly credited hitherto. Fe has been unable TO
discover any particulars about lie Gascon No
biuder of that name seems to have left any tang BILE
proofs of his existence. But binder named flor
mOnd Badier lived at that time, and. what is sig
niiicant bindings signed BY Badler, and which ex-
acty resemble in style those ascribed to LeGascon
are IN evidence. VI. Cruel suggests that lie
Csscon may very we'll have been anickname and
that possibly it was given to Florimond Badier.
lie does not underak to pronounce positively
upon the question. but tenders his ideas to the bib
hophlles for consideration.
The book is noby printed every copy being
Numbered and only 1000 copies being printed
and it is superbly illustrated Nothing to equal
the beauty and The deicacy of the great number OF
fu-page fac-similes of noted bindings can be found
else here. Every device and process that modern
invention has supplied is used to heighten the
accuracy of the copies and to make in the more
important cases, the reproduction complete
Heliogravcur. acknowledgements, gliding, are III
turn or all together employed. Among the finest
colored plates those illustrating the work OF
Florimond Bader Baillv, Louis Douceur Padeloup,
Jnberta and lie Monnier. The specimen of the atters
work is remarkably fine. The bindings executed for
Groer Maoli, Matien and Mansfield, and particular
" the Groler examples, are fine examples. The work
closes with photography of works relating to
bOokbiuding. 1t is IN every respect satisfactory.
though il is, as usual with French works of the
kind confined ALMOST wholly TO binders who If not
French lived and worked IN France. To the anna
tour however. 1t will prove Indispensable, and its
superb mechanical and artistic finish must delight
even such as DO not collect fine bindings.